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Road is not your racetrack

CANVEY’S top cop has vowed police will be out in force this weekend targeting reckless boyracers.

Chief Insp Ian Cummins said officers have already put an operation in place, beginning tonight (FRIDAY), targeting reckless cruisers using Roscommon Way as a racetrack.

He said officers will patrol the dual carriageway Friday and Saturday to target those cruisers racing up and down the roads and performing dangerous stunts.

The action comes a week on from when a resident - fed up with the noisy and dangerous car enthusiasts - filmed the boyracers as they gathered and raced on Roscommon Way last Saturday.

Chief Insp Cummins said the cruisers meets on the new extension at Roscommon Way - which opened in January 2011 - had become a growing problem in recent months.

He said: “The problem has become an emerging issue over the last few months.

“It appears the location has become more popular as more people have become aware of it as an opportunist place for them to meet.

“Over the last year we have had in excess of 100 reported incidents of nuisance vehicles at Roscommon Way.

“For us, our approach is of course to prioritise public safety and we are there to enforce the law.

“We have to balance the rights and needs of the local community, which is not to have their safety put or to put up with nuisance and anti-social behaviour.”

Chief Insp Cummins said, as well as being concerned at the speeds clocked up by racers and the nuisance they are causing, police also had grave concerns about the hordes of spectators dangerously gathering at the roadside to watch, film and photograph the cruisers.

He said: “We don’t want to alienate the cruising community who want to park up and show off their vehicles, that in some cases they have spent alot of money on and are very proud of.

“We will not stop the lawful pursuit of showing up and parking nice vehicles.

“Our issue though is managing large numbers who are congregating in one area with alot of spectators and we are not prepared to tolerate those breaking the law by speeding or causing noise and nuisance for residents.”

Chief Insp Cummins said, although police operations will target the nuisance cruisers, police will be working with Castle Point and Essex County Councils for a long-term solution.

He said, despite not ruling out the use of a dispersal order - which bans cruisers from gathering and was successfully used in Basildon - a long-term solution to the problem could come in the form of “structural changes” to the road such as speed humps or other road calming measures.

Ahead of the weekend’s crackdown on the cruisers, Chief Insp Cummins urged boyracers to behave.

He said: “I would appeal to the cruiser community to act responsibly and please give due regard to public safety.”

Comments

Did anyone in that area notice any skid marks..? think the police are on top of this one now.

Did anyone in that area notice any skid marks..? think the police are on top of this one now.DogsMessInLeigh

Did anyone in that area notice any skid marks..? think the police are on top of this one now.

Score: 0

Gay Ray
2:23am Mon 14 Jan 13

Cruising should never involve speed, nor should it upset the neighbours. Providing the cruisers keep their activities within those limits everyone should be happy and some may be lucky.

Cruising should never involve speed, nor should it upset the neighbours. Providing the cruisers keep their activities within those limits everyone should be happy and some may be lucky.Gay Ray

Cruising should never involve speed, nor should it upset the neighbours. Providing the cruisers keep their activities within those limits everyone should be happy and some may be lucky.

Score: 0

Essex Medja
8:34am Mon 14 Jan 13

Oh wow the residents have suffered a year of nusiance with 100 complaints and the police response is to advertise that the will turn out this Friday and Saturday.
.
Apart from catching the terminally stupid what will this achieve? It needs something more than this token response.

Oh wow the residents have suffered a year of nusiance with 100 complaints and the police response is to advertise that the will turn out this Friday and Saturday.
.
Apart from catching the terminally stupid what will this achieve? It needs something more than this token response.Essex Medja

Oh wow the residents have suffered a year of nusiance with 100 complaints and the police response is to advertise that the will turn out this Friday and Saturday.
.
Apart from catching the terminally stupid what will this achieve? It needs something more than this token response.

Score: 0

fletch12107
9:13am Mon 14 Jan 13

Chief Ins Cummins is not the top cop that award went to Ins Potter at the Police Annual Awards.

Chief Ins Cummins is not the top cop that award went to Ins Potter at the Police Annual Awards.fletch12107

Chief Ins Cummins is not the top cop that award went to Ins Potter at the Police Annual Awards.

Score: 0

upset
9:21am Mon 14 Jan 13

GREAT I hope they also advertised the police attendance on all the social web sites, we would not wish to catch anyone, filling out paper work is a pain and it's likely to be cold.

GREAT I hope they also advertised the police attendance on all the social web sites, we would not wish to catch anyone, filling out paper work is a pain and it's likely to be cold.upset

GREAT I hope they also advertised the police attendance on all the social web sites, we would not wish to catch anyone, filling out paper work is a pain and it's likely to be cold.

Score: 0

Eric Whim
10:37am Mon 14 Jan 13

I didn't know they had any police on Canvey, let alone a Chief Inspector.

I didn't know they had any police on Canvey, let alone a Chief Inspector.Eric Whim

I didn't know they had any police on Canvey, let alone a Chief Inspector.

Score: 0

John T Pharro
10:41am Mon 14 Jan 13

upset wrote…

GREAT I hope they also advertised the police attendance on all the social web sites, we would not wish to catch anyone, filling out paper work is a pain and it's likely to be cold.

Spot on and I would like to hear the outcome of any prosecutions of any vehicles breaking the law identified in the video they saw.

[quote][p][bold]upset[/bold] wrote:
GREAT I hope they also advertised the police attendance on all the social web sites, we would not wish to catch anyone, filling out paper work is a pain and it's likely to be cold.[/p][/quote]Spot on and I would like to hear the outcome of any prosecutions of any vehicles breaking the law identified in the video they saw.John T Pharro

upset wrote…

GREAT I hope they also advertised the police attendance on all the social web sites, we would not wish to catch anyone, filling out paper work is a pain and it's likely to be cold.

Spot on and I would like to hear the outcome of any prosecutions of any vehicles breaking the law identified in the video they saw.

Score: 0

John T Pharro
10:41am Mon 14 Jan 13

upset wrote…

GREAT I hope they also advertised the police attendance on all the social web sites, we would not wish to catch anyone, filling out paper work is a pain and it's likely to be cold.

Spot on and I would like to hear the outcome of any prosecutions of any vehicles breaking the law identified in the video they saw.

[quote][p][bold]upset[/bold] wrote:
GREAT I hope they also advertised the police attendance on all the social web sites, we would not wish to catch anyone, filling out paper work is a pain and it's likely to be cold.[/p][/quote]Spot on and I would like to hear the outcome of any prosecutions of any vehicles breaking the law identified in the video they saw.John T Pharro

upset wrote…

GREAT I hope they also advertised the police attendance on all the social web sites, we would not wish to catch anyone, filling out paper work is a pain and it's likely to be cold.

Spot on and I would like to hear the outcome of any prosecutions of any vehicles breaking the law identified in the video they saw.

Score: 0

bumper
11:13am Mon 14 Jan 13

great police work ......

we are out this weekend ..?

but not next so you can come
back from southend sea front.

great police work ......
we are out this weekend ..?
but not next so you can come
back from southend sea front.bumper

great police work ......

we are out this weekend ..?

but not next so you can come
back from southend sea front.

Score: 0

bumper
11:17am Mon 14 Jan 13

would it be better not warning them
you was going out this weekend
and just go that way you get them red handed.

but that means paper work wish I had a brain like the police have ....

would it be better not warning them
you was going out this weekend
and just go that way you get them red handed.
but that means paper work wish I had a brain like the police have ....bumper

would it be better not warning them
you was going out this weekend
and just go that way you get them red handed.

but that means paper work wish I had a brain like the police have ....

Score: 0

Sean4u
12:34pm Mon 14 Jan 13

For something as straightforward as speeding (not sure what kind of racing does not involve speed), wouldn't it be cheaper and permanently effective to put time/distance cameras on that stretch of road? I guess it's not a solution if you only want to prosecute the people who are speeding when you're not on the road.

For something as straightforward as speeding (not sure what kind of racing does not involve speed), wouldn't it be cheaper and permanently effective to put time/distance cameras on that stretch of road? I guess it's not a solution if you only want to prosecute the people who are speeding when you're not on the road.Sean4u

For something as straightforward as speeding (not sure what kind of racing does not involve speed), wouldn't it be cheaper and permanently effective to put time/distance cameras on that stretch of road? I guess it's not a solution if you only want to prosecute the people who are speeding when you're not on the road.

Ipsoregulated

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